Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Why Singapore Dissident hurts the Lee Kuan Yew regime

Ladies and Gentlemen,

There are numerous people who criticize Lee Kuan Yew's one party Stalinist island, Singapore on the Internet. I am not the only one. They all hurt the regime's ability to rule, no doubt. But almost all of them are writing incognito, under assumed names, not revealing their identity. Of course it is understandable why they do this to an extent although men of courage may not agree. Criticizing Lee in Lee's Singapore is frankly suicidal, because he will retaliate causing you to lose your job, your house and everything. Perfect example of his victims is of course Chee Soon Juan, minus his job, and reduced to selling books.

So dangling Chee Soon Juan out there effectively silences everyone else. Even to do such a seemingly ordinary thing such as to criticize becomes a revolutionary act in Lee's Singapore. Thus, no one dares to openly criticize. If they do, it is always incognito under a mask.

Of course Chee Soon Juan himself has a blog in which he writes openly. But unfortunately being in Singapore, understandably prevents him from saying it completely as it is. For instance he was himself the prime victim in numerous court cases where Lee's judges disgracefully misused the law repeatedly resulting in his bankruptcy and numerous jail terms. In any other country, such a man would have openly stated without mincing words that Lee's courts are corrupt which they are, a fact that he himself knows from personal experience. Yet Chee does not openly criticize the judiciary. I am not saying this as a criticism of Chee whom I admire and respect. But I am saying this as a fact and to show the constraints under which Singaporeans are sadly forced to live under.

But the effect of criticizing while hiding your identity reduces the potency of your writing greatly. Firstly you are telling Lee Kuan Yew that you dislike him but at the same time afraid enough to conceal your identity. And Lee Kuan Yew thinks he is still king because you are still afraid of him

This blog Singapore Dissident has of course one advantage over the others. I am not in Singapore and therefore it makes it a bit more difficult for him to pursue me here in Fremont (San Francisco), California, USA.

But at the same time I am telling him exactly what sort of a rat he is, and what is more, exactly who I am and where he could find me. And this is what he does not like. For all these 52 years, no one dared to squarely criticize him and if they did, never got away. You see it is a question of saving face Chinese style. He has decided he should never lose, and if someone dared, he will finish the job.

But this time, with the Singapore Dissident, it does not work. He appears helpless, incapable of doing anything, and Singapore Dissident continues to do what it intends, which is to broadcast this blog to as many Singaporeans and the rest of the world with the truth about this tin pot tyrant strutting around in his hen coop.

I hope increasing numbers of Singaporeans read this blog, which they are by the way, and spread the news. Hopefully it will embolden them to take some real action, like protesting. Even if they don't the damage being done to the Lee Kuan Yew family, knowing that Gopalan Nair continues to write while he languishes helplessly over there has and must make a dent on his authority to rule.

Remember, what I do is still at a price. For one, I cannot come to Singapore without fear of being arrested again. Lee may still try at some point to thwart what I do in one way or another. For another, I have lost all possibility of having anything to do with Singapore by way of business because I am a marked man in Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore. But you see, I don't mind at all. Each time he does try to hurt me, it helps in publicizing that fact which exposes his dictatorship and misuse of law even more.

In fact, believe it or not, I would actually appreciate any action he takes against me as this will continue to keep his arbitrary going's on in his tiny island before an international audience, not to mention to disadvantage him by alienating his own people even more in his island.

Your letters are welcome. We reserve the right to publish your letters. Please Email your letters to nair.gopalan@yahoo.com And if you like what I write, please tell your friends. You will be helping democracy by distributing this widely. This blog not only gives information, it dispels government propaganda put out by this dictatorial regime.

Do not “tear down institutions”, he [Major-General (NS) Chan Chun Sing} said. What institutions? The police? The courts? Parliament? The electoral system? Our mainstream media? The civil service?

They don’t look like institutions to me when the way they operate, they do nothing to defend fairness, justice, and the rights of citizens, including the right to dissent.

What he calls “institutions” are more accurately described as mechanisms of control, in which case, he was calling on people, in his speech, not to “throw stones, cast doubt and tear down mechanisms of control”.

“He [Chan Chun Sing] said he would rather see young people telling the Government: I believe in this, give me some help and I will do it.” (Straits Times, 3 Jul 2011)Well Mr Chan I tried. My friends in civil society tried. So did my friends in the various opposition parties. We tried and were ignored so some of us went ahead and started being more visible with our feedback, some of us went ahead doing what we believe in without the government’s help since our different views and suggestions have been ignored and then what happened?Police harassed us, agents followed us, PAP politicians complained about us via mainstream media.Do you know how it is like, to keep on advocating for what one truly believes in and face the risk of police harassment? Do you know how it is like, to write to the government offering suggestions, send petitions and yet to have our efforts ignored? Sometimes your fellow comrades even went as far as to say that we are people who are collaborating with western infiltrators, as if we are working towards the downfall of our country. Do you know?But don’t worry Mr Chan, I will continue what we are doing and so will my contemporaries. And this time when the government asks us to bugger off or ignore our letters with their stony silence again, I will write to you instead.P.S: By the way, I do not think it is necessary to include the military rank of someone when addressing the person.

rachel zeng – if you are truly honest, go ahead and admit that you and your people are indeed working together with foreign groups in pursuing your hidden agendas in S’pore.Comment by msia news July 5, 2011 @ 9:02 am

Reply

If I want to work with foreign groups with whatever hidden agendas, why would I do it right here in Singapore where I personally face all sorts of inconveniences for the things that I do?

You know, I find it really sad that there are people around who cannot see how people are willing to face all sorts of risks just because they cannot bear to keep their opinions to themselves or because they want to see a better Singapore who are right here doing what they do. People like that who genuinely care about their cases do exist in Singapore.

And perhaps you should be honest and admit that you are probably part of the PAP internet brigade out to discredit activists and outspoken bloggers due to your not so hidden agenda.Comment by rachelabsinthe July 5, 2011 @ 9:52 am

“My Singaporean friends have been nothing but gracious hosts. My child plays with their children”

When they reach 18 years of age, Your (FT) child carries on with his education and start his career at 21 years old.

The Singaporean child gets enlisted into the army at 18 and can only continue his eduction at 21 years old… tat [that] is if there is still a place for him after the quotas for university enrolments are filled by foreign students…

Contrary to popular hopes, come 2007, the Great Helmsman will not step aside to yield centrestage to the new team. It is not in the nature of the beast. He will continue to play a significant role as senior minister or by whatever designation he is pleased at the time to call himself, as he has to ensure his son and heir succeeds as prime minister

Note, for example, the tactical transfer of his wife, Ho Ching, from the government-linked Chartered Semiconductors Manufacturing Ltd to Temasek Holdings, the holding company – just before the problems in the former company became public. In a reprise of her husband’s rapid ascent in rank and position in the Singapore Armed Forces, she was first made a director, then an executive director and is now the managing director of Temasek Holdings. It was a meteoric rise unmatched in corporate history anywhere. She accomplished all this, notwithstanding the $630 million Micropolis disaster.

This govt really sucks. Corruption at its utmost. So outrageous. In other developed countries they would have to resign, step down or even be charged. Might even be assassinated.

Poor singaporeans - having to endure such atrocities, again and again, paying skyhigh cost of living whilst these corrupt ministers continue their lavish lifestyles. Don't they even have a prick of conscience?

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About Me

Determined to find the Truth.
Born Singapore, educated Winstedt School 2 (next to Monks Hill in Newton, Singapore) Raffles Institution, National Service, some travel in Europe, then law studies England, return to Singapore, practiced for 10 years, active Workers Party member, stood elections 1988 and 1991 in Singapore, was harassed and persecuted by Lee Kuan Yew for my political beliefs, left for USA, obtained asylum and admitted California State Bar, practice law ever since in Fremont California near San Francisco. Relinquished Singapore citizenship 2005 because I was not prepared to permit Lee Kuan Yew to unjustly retain my CPF funds if I remained Singapore Citizen. On principle, the only correct thing for me to do was to give it up, for my CPF funds. I am an American Citizen as of 2004.